10/8/2026 Olivia Palid
In a sunlit conference room in a Chicago skyscraper, you will find graduate students chatting, coding and making lasting connections with Chicago companies. This is CS 598 Chicago Capstone Experience, a class taught by Professor Brian Bailey. Master of Computer Science in Chicago students work on advanced technology projects for real companies who have a need for fresh insights on complex problems, immersing themselves in the booming tech ecosystem in Chicago and ending the semester with verifiable experience in cutting-edge topics.
Written by Olivia Palid
In a sunlit conference room in a Chicago skyscraper, you will find graduate students chatting, coding and making lasting connections with Chicago companies. This is CS 598 Chicago Capstone Experience, a class taught by Professor Brian Bailey. Master of Computer Science in Chicago students work on advanced technology projects for real companies who have a need for fresh insights on complex problems, immersing themselves in the booming tech ecosystem in Chicago and ending the semester with verifiable experience in cutting-edge topics.
The idea for this course emerged shortly after the beginning of the MCS in Chicago program. Matthew Hebron, an assistant director of Corporate Relations on the Chicago-based Grainger College of Engineering team, explained, “We wanted to create a premier experiential learning opportunity for our students. It’s a really exciting and enriching opportunity for students to solve industry-based problems with their peers.”
As the MCS in Chicago program grew alongside the new course, projects were added and developed and more companies signed on. Ultimately, the class has increased from just four students in its inaugural offering to 25 students this semester. In Fall 2026, students can work directly with representatives from CCC Intelligent Solutions, United Woundcare Institute and Uber Freight.
Prof. Bailey said, “Students really learn to grapple with open-ended problem solving in this class. As it progresses, students go from a rough description on paper to a working implementation, and that’s very satisfying for them.”
The course was launched as a way to involve MCS in Chicago students in the city where they live. Bailey, who studies human-computer interfaces and design thinking, has led this course since it first began. He says that the Chicago Capstone Experience class was developed to “create student learning experiences that are unique to Chicago. We wanted to create opportunities for students to connect with the city itself.”
Students must be vetted before they can take the class, echoing the job hiring process. “All of the capstone pre-work happens before the semester begins,” said Bailey. He and Hebron first connect with companies and non-profits, keeping in mind that good projects must have a certain scope and fit. Once organizations sign on, MCS in Chicago students interested in the course submit resumes to be shared with project leadership. After interviews, assessments and/or reviewing resumes, both students and organizations will rank each other to ensure the best matches possible in background as well as interests. Students chosen to participate must meet weekly with their project sponsors, as well as check-in frequently with Bailey, to receive feedback and ask questions. Past projects have involved using skills like random data generation, artificial intelligence and data visualization.
Rafay Junaid, a current MCS in Chicago student taking CS 598 this semester, said, “Having newly moved into Chicago, I couldn’t help but be left in awe at the number of big names and corporations operating in my vicinity. Taking the Chicago Capstone class was a no-brainer for me–being able to contribute directly to even one cog in this giant industrial machine sounded like something I definitely did not want to miss.”
Hebron and Bailey are excited about the future of the capstone course. “The capstone model can grow, and it would be great to have students doing capstone projects outside of computing or multi-semester capstones,” said Bailey. According to him, this class is just one more example of how Grainger College of Engineering and the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science are investing in the booming Chicago tech ecosystem. It joins other Grainger initiatives like the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) and the Landuyt Center for Entrepreneurship, both of which have growing Chicago presences.
CS 598 and its talented students are a sign that the Chicago tech ecosystem is hungry for what the Siebel School can offer.
Grainger Engineering Affiliations
Brian Bailey is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of computer science in the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science.